Amazon Prime Video Signs Pact with French Guilds to Invest in Diverse Local Content, Unveils Talent-Studded Slate
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Amazon Prime Video has come a long way since launching in France in 2016. The streamer, whose first French film original, “The Mad Women’s Ball,” recently picked up an International Emmy Award, unveiled a landmark deal with French guilds during a posh dinner with industry players and talent in Paris on Wednesday evening (Nov. 30).
On the guest list at the chic Lutetia Hotel was a laundry list of talent that’s in business with Prime Video, including Philippe Lacheau (“LOL”), Franck Gastambide (“Medellin”), Eloise Lang (“La Graine”), Melha Bedia (“Miskina”), Ziad Doueiri (“Coeurs Noirs”), as well as producers Alain Goldman, Pathé Films’ Ardavan Safaee, Mandarin’s Eric Altmayer, CG Cinema’s Charles Gillibert, Metropolitan FilmExport’s Victor Hadida, Newen’s Romain Bessi, and Asasha Group’s Gaspard de Chavagnac, among many others.
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Announced by Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Prime Video’s country manager in France, the four-year deal was signed with the guilds AnimFrance, SATEV, SEDPA, SPI, USPA and SACD, which represents all sectors of French TV production, including animation, documentary and live shows.
This new pact will complement the agreement Prime Video previously signed with France’s broadcasting authorities (CSA) to start investing 20% of their annual revenues on French content, along with Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV+. This stemmed from the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS), which was put forth by the European Commission.
Iris Bucher, the new president of USPA, who joined Ricou-Bellan on stage to announce the deal, said it will ensure that Prime Video will spread its wealth across different types of programs, including animation, documentary and live spectacles. Prime Video will be participating in the financing of these titles, just as it does with fiction drama or films. Netflix is currently in negotiations to sign the same pact.
Ricou-Bellan said the agreement “reflected the parties’ shared vision of promoting the diversity, renewal and influence of French audiovisual creation.”
Prime Video also presented its star-studded slate of programs, including both originals and acquisitions which are headed by Thomas Dubois and Sahar Baghery, respectively.
Dubois was on stage with Elsa Rodde, a well-respected lawyer-turned-producer (“Rose”), who recently joined Prime Video as head of scripted and movies for France, and Benjamin Ferel, who heads non-scripted.
The roster of new originals includes “Killer Coaster” and “Sentinelle.” The latter is a new Amazon Original comedy with Jonathan Cohen, Raphaël Quenard, Emmanuelle Bercot, Ramzy Bedia and Gustave Kervern. The movie tells the story of François Sentinelle, who has two lives. During the day, he is the most famous cop of Reunion Island, known for his tough methods and flowery shirts, pursuing criminals in his famous yellow defender. But Sentinelle is also a charming singer. “Sentinelle” is produced by 22h22 and Les Films entre 2 et 4.
“Killer Coaster,” meanwhile, is a series starring Alexandra Lamy, Audrey Lamy and Chloé Jouannet. The series was created and written by Thomas Mansuy and Nikola Lange, who is also directing. “Killer Coaster” is produced by Vacarme, which is part of Kabo Productions, owned by Asacha Media Group.
Both “Killer Coaster” and “Sentinelle” will launch exclusively on Prime Video across 240 countries and territories in 2023.
Rolling off the success of “LOL,” the French adaptation of the hit international format hosted by Lacheau, Prime Video is also ramping up the production of several non-scripted shows, including the second season of “Celebrity Hunted.” On stage, Dubois also pointed out the score of the Amazon original movie “Overdose” directed by Olivier Marchal and produced by Gaumont. The thriller launched on Nov. 4 and currently ranks as the most watched non-english Amazon Original content worldwide in Prime Video history.
Also on stage at the event was Baghery, who was appointed head of content acquisition for Prime Video in France in June, and is working alongside a team of seven people, including Gustave Hottegindre, head of film acquisitions. Baghery teased exclusive new movies with clips, including “La Graine,” a contemporary comedy-drama directed by Eloise Lang and starring Marie Papillon, Stacy Martin and Francois Damiens; and “Drones Games,” a young adult-skewing film directed by Olivier Abbou (“Les Papillons Noirs”) starring Angele Metzger, Orlando Vauthier, Alice Belaidi, Grégoire Colin.
“Drones Games” tells the story of Tom, a lonely teenager and drone fan who crosses paths with an anarchist gang and becomes involved in a series of robberies. The film is produced by White Lion Films at Mediawan, and Jack N’a Qu’un Oeil. It will be released exclusively in France on Prime Video in 2023.
“La Graine,” produced by Pathé and Les Films du Cap, tells the story of Lucie and Ines who love each other and want a child. After five attempts of assisted reproduction, they travel to Belgium for a final test and embark on a comedy-filled journey to find the seed. “La Graine” will be released exclusively in France on Prime Video in 2023.
Baghery also presented a trailer for “Coeurs Noirs,” the new series directed by Doueiri, the French-Lebanese filmmaker of the Oscar-nominated movie “The Insult,” who made his TV debut with the hit series “Baron Noir.” Produced by Mandarin Television, “Coeurs Noirs” revolves around French Special Forces fighting ISIS.
The executive, whose team recently scored a pair of deals with Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony to bolster its programming in France with select premium titles, said she was interested in coming on board all types of projects at different stages, from development to post production. Even at script stage, the acquisition model allows the producers to “keep the IP,” said Baghery, who added that the streamer was also looking to partner up with French and European broadcasters and TV groups to board ambitious series. A recent example of this type of collaboration includes “Coeurs Noirs,” which was financed by Prime Video and France Televisions.
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